{"337891":{"#nid":"337891","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Tech Monitors Worldwide Ebola Activity","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDear Faculty, Staff, and Students:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the Ebola outbreak escalates in West Africa, Georgia Tech continues to vigilantly monitor the situation. While the chance of a significant Ebola outbreak in the U.S. is extremely small, Georgia Tech is taking steps to help ensure the well-being of our community, including close coordination with the Georgia Department of Public Health and other appropriate agencies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELast week, Georgia Tech participated in a briefing for colleges and universities conducted by the Georgia Department of Public Health. We learned that as a precautionary measure, travelers to countries experiencing an Ebola outbreak will be actively monitored post-arrival for 21 days by \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/media\/releases\/2014\/p1022-post-arrival-monitoring.html\u0022\u003Epublic health authorities\u003C\/a\u003E. As you may have heard, on Oct. 27 the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gov.georgia.gov\/press-releases\/2014-10-27\/deal-issues-new-policy-travelers-ebola-affected-countries\u0022\u003EGovernor\u2019s Office\u003C\/a\u003E announced that anyone who has had direct contact with an Ebola patient will be \u201csubject to quarantine at a designated facility.\u201d Health care workers using proper protective gear who have treated Ebola patients will be \u201cvisually monitored\u201d at home for 21 days, either by video or home visits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech began implementing Ebola virus \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/wwwnc.cdc.gov\/travel\/page\/advice-for-colleges-universities-and-students-about-ebola-in-west-africa\u0022\u003Erecommendations\u003C\/a\u003E issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for colleges and universities last month. This advice includes avoiding non-essential travel, including education-related travel, to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Travelers are encouraged to visit the CDC \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/wwwnc.cdc.gov\/travel\/notices\u0022\u003ETravel Health Notices\u003C\/a\u003E Web page for up-to-date information specific to each country.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the likelihood of Tech employees and students encountering an Ebola infection is extremely low, we are taking extra safety measures so that anyone who is suspected of having an Ebola infection is quickly evaluated and transferred for definitive care. Key health care professionals are appropriately trained on how to effectively handle a suspected case of Ebola in order to mitigate the risk of further infection.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnyone who thinks they may have an Ebola infection should call Stamps Health Services for advice first. It may be advisable for a patient to go directly to a hospital without stopping at Stamps. In addition, information on Ebola, including information on protocols for faculty, staff, and students who have recently traveled internationally, is posted on the Stamps Health Services \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.health.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ewebsite\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a reminder, the Ebola virus can only be transmitted through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected symptomatic person. Ebola is not spread through the air, water, or food. It is interesting to note that the common flu presents a greater health risk in our country, and in that regard, we have \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/news\/Pages\/Flu-Clinic-Start-October-7.aspx\u0022\u003Eflu shots\u003C\/a\u003E available at Stamps Health Services.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe also encourage you to take a common sense approach to staying healthy, especially as we enter the flu season. This includes avoiding contact with individuals who are sick, staying home and away from others if you are sick, and most importantly, contacting a health care professional immediately if you suspect a serious illness.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe safety of our faculty, staff, and students is paramount, and we will continue to closely monitor this evolving situation and provide updates as needed. Georgia Tech is also prepared to leverage the state-of-the-art resources available to us to care for our community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESincerely,\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGregory R. Moore, MD, MPH\u003Cbr \/\u003ESenior Director\u003Cbr \/\u003EStamps Health Services\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Gregory Moore, senior director of Stamps Health Services, provides update on campus preparations"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGregory Moore, senior director of Stamps Health Services, provides the Tech community with an update.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Gregory Moore, senior director of Stamps Health Services, provides the Tech community with an update."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2014-10-29 08:45:22","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:17:23","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-10-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-10-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/wwwnc.cdc.gov\/travel\/notices","title":"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Travel Notices"},{"url":"http:\/\/wwwnc.cdc.gov\/travel\/page\/advice-for-colleges-universities-and-students-about-ebola-in-west-africa","title":"Center for Disease Control and Prevention"},{"url":"http:\/\/gov.georgia.gov\/press-releases\/2014-10-27\/deal-issues-new-policy-travelers-ebola-affected-countries","title":"Governor Deal Issues New Policy for Travelers from Ebola-affected Countries"},{"url":"http:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/news\/Pages\/Flu-Clinic-Start-October-7.aspx","title":"More Info \u2013 Flu Vaccinations for Spring Semester"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.health.gatech.edu\/","title":"Student Health Center"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"13022","name":"Ebola"},{"id":"50601","name":"Gregory Moore"},{"id":"398","name":"health"},{"id":"167128","name":"Stamps Health Services"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:gregory.moore@health.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGregory Moore\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EStamps Health Services\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}